Ange’s Chat
Our joint Board meeting scheduled for last Thursday had to be postponed much to Andrew’s regret. He had just returned from a flying visit to Queensland to connect with family, but as a key investor he had to prioritise UK business negotiations via Skype. This important end of year Board meeting has now been rescheduled to this Thursday at 5pm at Lynn Hastings home (details emailed to Board members).
Nevertheless, six intrepid ladies braved the elements last Thursday and enjoyed a great chat over dinner in the 1st Hole – Laurelle, Julie, Gero, Robyn, Lynn and I. We talked about many things including the Vocational visit to the Men’s Shed on Thursday 29 July. The men are really keen to take us on a tour of their premises followed by a fab Greek dinner courtesy of culinary expert Gero. She and I sussed out facilities at the Men’s Shed last week and we’re looking at a max of 30 people dining with their Board and our Club members. It promises to be a great night of fun, food, wine and music. This was my intention to bring wonderful services in our community together to share some joie de vie.
Dr Michael Holland, well known obstetrician and gynaecologist, has long spear headed the need for a Level 4 Regional Hospital for Eurobodalla. A site has now been agreed near TAFE Moruya. He has accepted my invitation to be our guest speaker on Thursday 22 July which promises to be a big night for our community. Rotary Eurobodalla is already on board for this important long term project, much to his appreciation.
As the end of this Rotary year rapidly approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to thank these wonderful Rotarians with whom we have shared so many good times – Frank Eden, Peter Bull, Rolf Gimmel, Charmaine White and Lynda Ord are all moving on. We wish you all the very best and thank you for being such vital and integral members of our Club. You all will be sorely missed.
THIS THURSDAY
Regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, our Breakfast meeting for this Thursday has had to be postponed. We hope to hear from our scheduled guest speaker later in the year. Zarina Fitzgerald from Apprenticeship Support Australia for the Far South Coast & Snowy Region was going to talk about government assistance for businesses employing apprentices and trainees. Our next breakfast meeting is scheduled for Thursday 15 July.
The Week that Was
From our meeting last Thursday
Robyn Miller referred to a fascinating article in the May issue of Rotary Down Under for her Rotary Toast last week. It was about Rotary’s association with the late Fred Hollows and the Fred Hollows Foundation.
In 1993 Fred was informed he would receive Rotary’s Highest Honour, the Rotary Award for World Understanding. Late that year, at the Rotary International World Conference in Melbourne his wife Gabby received the award posthumously for Fred plus US$100,000 from Rotary that helped launch The Fred Hollows Foundation.
In 2020, the Rotary Club of Melbourne started the End Trachoma Initiative, carrying on Fred’s work, encouraging Rotary Clubs in Australia to help end trachoma in our indigenous communities.
Then, in what approximated the old ‘three-minute talk’, Laurelle Pacey read out an article from her archives about financial assistance our Club gave in 1968 for surgery on the webbed hands of a 6-year old Aboriginal boy from Nerrigundah. At the time there were a number of Aboriginal families working at the Nerrigundah sawmill and picking beans on nearby farms. Apparently around that time Narooma Rotary also sponsored other medical treatment for Aboriginal families at Nerrigundah.
Out and About
Bega Rotary supports End Trachoma
Bega Rotary is one of many Rotary clubs around Australia taking part in the End Trachoma Now project. Bega Rotarians recently put together 40 kits to help end trachoma, an eye infection that can lead to blindness. The kits are destined for young indigenous communities through schools around Alice Springs. Australia is the only developed country in the world with this disease.
The kits comprise products such as soap and holder, towels, toothpaste and holder, shampoo, combs and a few extras to encourage young school goers to improve hygiene and reduce the incidence of trachoma. Four members of Bega Rotary – Dorothea, Maz, Suzanne and Chris – have been busy sewing and gathering supplies. Business people in Bega have been generous in donating various products for the bags, while Dr MacKinnon’s donation funded postage and helped in other ways towards the project.
Merimbula Rotary buys fire unit
In July 2020, the Rotary Club of Merimbula received an unexpectedly generous donation from the community of Lae in Papua New Guinea to put towards bushfire recovery efforts in the region. Some of these funds were used to purchase two dual-axle galvanised box trailers. This Merimbula Rotary officially handed over a new purpose-built Trailer mounted Fire Fighting Unit to Merimbula RFS. This versatile Unit will be used for many important community-based activities, such as pile burns and asset protection. (From Merimbula Rotary webpage, from article & group photo courtesy of Merimbula RFS)
Merimbula Rotary has also supported the End Trachoma Now Project.
NEXT WEEK
Our 63rd Changeover, when we thank President Ange and welcome incoming President Andrew Lawson, will be in the Seahorse Room at Narooma Golf Club 6 for 6.30pm. David McInnes will be our MC.